Future is still bright for St. Edward alum, Indians minor-league catcher Lavisky

If I'm not out there working, it's a wasted day." -Alex Lavisky, Akron Aeros catcher

View full sizeAlex Lavisky of the Akron Aeros, right, catches an at bat during a game against the Binghamton Mets on April 6, 2013. Lavisky is a St. Edward High School graduate and a prospect in the Cleveland Indians minor league system.DAVID MONSEUR/AKRON AEROS

Former St. Edward High School baseball coach Danny Allie recalled a 2008 playoff game, in which his sophomore starting catcher, Alex Lavisky, pulled a hamstring, but refused to sit.

"He played hurt, he could barely walk," Allie recalled. "But he still managed to hit two home runs. What a joy to coach!"

In baseball, they have many terms to describe a player such as Lavisky, now a catcher with the Akron Aeros in the Cleveland Indians' minor league system; grinder, gamer, hard-nosed, no-nonsense, tough.

But one word comes out of the mouths of anyone who has seen Lavisky in action: competitor.

Lavisky was drafted by the Indians straight out of St. Edward in the summer of 2010, in the eighth round of the draft. It was a terrific draft for St. Edward High School, who had won the Ohio baseball state championship that season as well; Lavisky's battery mate, Stetson Allie (son of coach Danny), a right-handed pitcher for the Eagles, was selected in the second round of the same draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It was a bit of a curious move by the Indians, a team which didn't take high-school players too often at the time, as Lavisky had a scholarship commitment to Georgia Tech University. Lavisky said he expected to be attending school in the fall, and especially as the draft went on, he knew he needed the right situation for him to forego college and sign with a big league team.

"My parents really wanted me to go to school," Lavisky said. "But when I was drafted by Cleveland, it was a unique situation."

Lavisky, born in Middleburg Heights, admitted he didn't expect a deal to happen between him and the Indians. He said the team knew the amount he needed in a signing bonus to give up his college aspirations, and he didn't get a chance to play any baseball that summer due to the negotiations.

To Lavisky's surprise, the Indians upped their offer, and signed for a $1 million signing bonus. It was a dream come true for a kid who grew up near Cleveland's West Park neighborhood, rooting for the Tribe. He headed to the Arizona Fall League, where only had 15 at bats in five games, but was now firmly on the team's prospect radar.

Lavisky said life in pro ball has been awesome, so far.

"I love traveling," he said. "It's not the most comfortable traveling (minor league teams generally travel by bus), but it's still cool to see different places."

He said he has a bit of a different life than his friends in college have.

"I get to do a lot of things my buddies aren't," he said. "They're worrying about tests, I need to make sure I have enough clothes to last me on a road trip."

He said he learned the basic day-to-day stuff that many college kids worry about in high school, while attending St. Edward. A big part of his competitive nature was developed there, as he said the St. Edward baseball teams he played on from 2007 to 2010 had a lot of talent. But he wasn't about to rest on his accomplishments after he was drafted.

"It's a little bit different playing against the best people in the world," Lavisky said of the change from high school to professional baseball. "If I'm not out there working, it's a wasted day."

Lavisky's work ethic has been praised by almost anyone who has ever worked with him, such as Allie, who coached him from 2008 until Alex's graduation, and John Whalen, who preceded Aliie as St. Edward High School's varsity baseball coach, and had Lavisky as his starting catcher in 2007, when Alex was a freshman.

"His work ethic was unbelievable," Whalen said. "The sky is the limit for Alex, he's worked hard and only scratched his surface. He was a pleasure to coach."

View full sizeThen a senior at St. Edward High School, Alex Lavisky walks back to the plate during a Division 1 Regional Semi-final against Medina on May 27, 2010. St. Edward won this game, and the Division 1 state championship, in 2010. Lavisky is now a catcher in the Cleveland Indians minor-league system.ERIC KLUTH/SUN NEWS

Whalen recalled Lavisky's first week during his freshman year, when he batted .452 with two strikeouts. Whalen said he and the other coaches checked the statistics at the end of the 2007 season, and Lavisky had only those two strikeouts his entire season.

Greg Urbas coached Lavisky his freshman year as well, but in football. The sport changed, but the praise for Lavisky did not.

"His positive attitude and love of competition spread through the team," Urbas said. "He is one of the finest competitors I have ever had the privilege to coach!"

Lavisky credits his parents for his strong work ethic.

"My dad is one of the hardest-working people I've ever met," Lavisky said, adding his mother organized the house and took care of Alex, his sister and his four other brothers. "I'm blessed to be around my parents. I don't know anything else but to work."

Lavisky struggled with his hitting in both 2011 and 2012, although improvements to his swing he began working on after the 2011 season began to show some results in late 2012, hitting .260 with eight home runs and 22 RBI while posting an impressive .795 OPS in 41 second-half games. Lavisky spent the entire year at Class-A Lake County, and expected to open the season in 2013 with high Class-A Carolina.

"Going into spring training this year, I expected to open the season with Carolina," he said. The Mudcats are Cleveland's high-Class-A affiliate, so it would have been a promotion for Lavisky. "But when I got to Arizona, I found myself dressing, and catching the older guys."

Lavisky was probably helped by Indians starting catcher Carlos Santana's absence for part of spring training, as it caused a bit of a domino effect in giving other catchers in the system more playing time. Santana was playing in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic.

"Guys kept getting sent down, and I was still around," Lavisky said. "Then (Yan) Gomes (Triple-A Columbus's starting catcher) was sent down, and I was moved to Double-A Akron."

He said it was a surprise at first, but he's confident he can stick at Akron.

Although Akron isn't too far from his parent's home, Lavisky now is living in Akron with some other players, and he admits moving out has been a bit of a change, but nothing he can't handle.

The Indians front office seems to agree Lavisky can handle the Eastern League, and continue to make adjustments to advance in the system. Carter Hawkins, the Indians' assistant director of player personnel, said there is nothing holding Lavisky back as a player.

"His biggest issue is his offensive approach," Hawkins said after spring training but before the start of Akron's season. "He made a big jump last year in Lake County."

Hawkins said Lavisky's age is a big factor in why the Indians still have high hopes for the 22-year-old catcher.

"As a high school draft pick and Ohio product, he simply didn't get as many at bats (prior to being drafted)," Hawkins said. High school baseball games in Ohio are often cancelled due to inclement weather, and players from colder-weather states often have less playing experience than a player from a warmer-weather state.

Hawkins said Lavisky has a strong chance for continued development.

"He's a great asset to the organization," he said. "He's tough, put into a difficult situation (when Lavisky was sent to the Arizona Fall League immediately after signing), and when he was sent back to (lower-level) Mahoning Valley, he didn't sulk."

He also said the Indians hold Lavisky up as a standard for which they hope the other minor-leaguers in the system can emulate.

Hawkins was unwilling to give an estimate for when the big-league club wanted Lavisky to be ready for Cleveland.

"We don't have a make-or-break timeline for any of our players," Hawkins said. "Our focus is on improving our guys, the player will dictate to us when he's ready."

For his part, Lavisky said he's not focused on when he makes it to the majors, but wants to continue his development and work hard to improve his game. He said he's been concentrating on his plate discipline.

"I am only gonna be as good as the pitches I swing at," Lavisky said. "If I can battle until a pitcher makes a mistake, I can hammer him."

Lavisky has fond memories of his time at St. Edward High School.

"It was literally some of the best times in my life," he said. "(St. Edward High School) was tremendous, I had a blast there, and I'm still friends with the kids I met there."

He said he wouldn't be where he is today without St. Edward's.

"Those teachers prepared me," he said. "At St. Ed's, they put the elements on you. If you're gonna do will there, you need to take advantage and control. They definitely prepared me for being on my own."

Lavisky's hard work and dedication may pay off. Hawkins said the Indians defiantly still have major-league aspirations for Lavisky, and no one who has worked with him has ever thought Lavisky didn't have a chance.

"He plays the game hard, the way its supposed to be played," his former coach Allie said. "I miss players like that."

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.